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At the Tallahassee Symphony Orchestra, such a request may soon go the way of the rotary dial.

At last Friday’s concert, “The Ring Without Words,” TSO invited its audience to test out the new EnCue app, which offered real-time commentary, program notes and behind-the-scenes information to supplement the live music.

According to the EnCue website, one of its aims is to “give people new and innovative ways to enjoy, learn about, and share the classical concert experience” in an unobtrusive manner.

As one of only 20 orchestras worldwide testing this new technology, TSO is leading the way in rethinking the concert experience and making classical music accessible to a wider audience.

In selecting a concert to give the EnCue app a trial run, TSO made a wise choice with “The Ring Without Words.” Henk de Vlieger’s condensed arrangement of orchestral excerpts from Richard Wagner’s epic and gargantuan "Ring" cycle runs more than hour, yet is a mere fraction of the entire work.

While some of the "Ring" music is firmly entrenched in popular culture (think "Apocalypse Now" or Elmer Fudd singing “Kill the Wabbit”), the sheer wealth of dramatic and musical content in the entire "Ring" cycle (which takes nearly 16 hours to perform) presents a daunting challenge for newcomers and seasoned opera fans alike.

Audience members hold up their phones at the start of the concert.(Photo: Andy Lagrimas)

EnCue to the rescue. With richly informative yet concise notes by FSU Opera Director Douglas Fisher, combined with footage of the TSO’s rehearsal process, the EnCue app was a welcome companion that helped make Wagner’s sprawling masterpiece a little more accessible.

I found the app simple to download and the interface intuitive and user-friendly. Slides were synched to follow the music automatically, or one could engage in some Tinder-style left/right swiping to move ahead or backward in the story as desired.

And yet. As the concert progressed, I couldn’t help notice that the all-too-familiar “itchy finger” to check my phone had now followed me into Ruby Diamond Concert Hall. On several occasions I found myself fully focused on my phone, waiting for the next slide to pop up, rather than engaging with the live performance.

Furthermore, with my phone’s battery charge dipping under 10 percent, another familiar and unwelcome urge — the need to locate the nearest outlet and plug in — brought on a slight yet unshakable anxiety that proved distracting.

Turns out, it wasn’t just me. Reactions to the EnCue app from TSO patrons were decidedly mixed.

One audience member noted the app was “definitely educational and I learned a lot,” but that it was also “distracting” and “took away from the music.” Another patron noted that “[EnCue] was great to understand the story" but the story was so complicated she eventually just focused on the music.

Many audience members, however, said they would enjoy experiencing another concert with the app, and welcomed the option in the future.

Of course, if one chose to enjoy the concert without smartphone access, there was still plenty to enjoy, thanks to the TSO’s stellar performance. Music Director Darko Butorac’s approach to this score had all the necessary grandeur and heft, giving an almost cinematic feel to the music.

With the exception of some rough patches of intonation and a few entrances lacking ensemble precision, the TSO handled the enormous technical challenges of Wagner’s score with ease. Principal French Horn Michelle Stebleton’s soaring offstage solos were a clear highlight of a strong night for the TSO brass and woodwind sections.

Regardless of how one felt about EnCue, the TSO is to be applauded for their willingness to embrace and explore innovative approaches to experiencing symphonic music. It’s no secret the audience at classical music events tends to skew towards an older demographic, and any incentive aimed at attracting newer audience should be welcomed.

Considering that technology is such an ingrained and established part of our daily lifestyle — just try doing your next gym workout without your smartphone — the EnCue app just might represent a logical step forward for the 21st-century orchestra.